Ohio State’s rushing attack is yet to hit full stride.
The formula for the Buckeyes is nearly solved. Freshman Bo Jackson is handling the bulk of the work in the backfield, with CJ Donaldson and James Peoples still mixing in. An offensive line with a nasty streak is creating a heavier lean on gap schemes as opposed to zone, with the Buckeyes utilizing gap runs 58.2% of the time despite their spread attack, per Pro Football Focus.
With those tweaks, the run game has been decent in the early stretches of Big Ten play. But not among the nation’s elite, like most other parts of Ohio State’s offense and defense. That’s the goal for the rest of the season.
“I think it's solid,” Ryan Day said on Tuesday. “I think there's always areas for improvement. I think we're targeted in what we're doing. I think the guys are playing physical up front. And I think the running backs, every time they get a carry, are learning, getting better. You're seeing yards after contact improve last week, which is an area of emphasis. So I think it's improving. And we know how important that's going to be, especially on the road in an environment like this (against Illinois this week).”
It’s a mark of progress, probably, that the Buckeyes’ worst rushing performance to date occurred in Week 1 against Texas. Utilizing only Donaldson and Peoples, Ohio State stumbled to 77 yards on 34 carries, a meager 2.3 yards per attempt. The Longhorns boast the third-best run defense the Buckeyes have seen so far this year, No. 11 in the country at 79.6 rushing yards allowed per game and No. 13 with 2.7 yards allowed per carry.
Jackson got involved with back-to-back 100-yard performances against Grambling State and Ohio, and is now the clear featured runner in the room. He had 30 combined carries in the last two contests vs. Washington and Minnesota, while Donaldson has 12 and Peoples has 10. Jackson continued showing why he deserves to be the headliner on the marquee with runs like these against the Golden Gophers.
The first run is the type of play that won Jackson the featured job in the first place. He’s got an incredible ability to make subtle moves, change the angle of a defender and slip an arm tackle for a chunk gain out of nowhere. The second shows his ability to finish runs. He’s been falling forward a lot, folks. Donaldson is Ohio State’s primary short-yardage back, but Jackson might be its best at that, too.
Day mentioned how gaining yards after contact has been a point of emphasis in the running back room. Jackson is blowing out his backfield mates in that department, averaging 6 yards after contact per PFF. Peoples is averaging 3, and Donaldson is averaging 2.6. Speaking of Peoples, he had his best outing running the football in the late stretches against Minnesota, racking up 59 yards in just seven carries.
All told, Ohio State rushed 30 times for 133 yards against Minnesota, an average of 4.4 yards per carry. That’s the same average it posted at Washington. Both of those defenses rank in the top 10 nationally in rushing yards allowed per game.
For the season, OSU is No. 57 nationally in rushing yards per game (171.6) and No. 33 in yards per carry (5.1). The balance must continue to develop between the run and their excellent passing game featuring quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate.
“I think you're seeing guys like (tight end Max Klare) and our running backs really starting to take strides forward now to make an impact,” Day said. “And we just want to make sure when we go into a game that, based on what the defense is giving us, that we can attack them in that area. When you lose that balance, that's when you put yourself at risk. So whether it's in personnel groupings, running, throwing, styles of plays, we always want to make sure we're on the attack.”
Now, of course, an even more important part of running the ball than running backs is the offensive line. The left tackle, guard and center positions have all been forces for Ohio State. Left tackle Austin Siereveld and left guard Luke Montgomery have both taken home Offensive Player of the Week honors from the team this season. They, Carson Hinzman and right tackle Phillip Daniels have brought an obvious mean streak to the front five.
“We all gotta be nasty,” Siereveld said on Oct. 1. “That was one of our things this offseason, that we had to find our edge. We’re definitely finding our edge, but we still have to improve … The five that roll out there, we just know we have to play with a nasty edge. No matter what play call it is, where we’re at, or who it’s against, we’re going to play nasty.”
At right guard, Ohio State rotated starter Tegra Tshabola out for a couple of series vs. Minnesota as it has done at various points this year, but rather than Rice transfer Ethan Onianwa as it had been in the past, it was redshirt sophomore Joshua Padilla.
“When we see Josh out there, we just see a lot of good play and just felt like he deserved an opportunity to get out there and play,” Day said. “We felt like he could go to center, but when you're moving the center around, there's a lot that goes with that, with Julian and the communication. So we wanted Josh to get some work at right guard because we feel like he's earned that opportunity. Did great out (a champion) too, but Tegra did as well. So that's all a good sign.”
Above all, with Ohio State’s often methodical approach and modern-day clock rules limiting plays, the emphasis continues to be on efficiency for the Buckeyes. The best path to efficiency is balance, not leaning too heavily one way or another to become predictable. That’s why it’s important for OSU’s running game to keep taking strides as its season rolls forward.
“I think the key is efficiency and whatever allows us the opportunity to be the most efficient,” Day said.
